ADC Differential Pi

8 Channel 18-bit Differential Analogue to Digital converter development board for the Raspberry Pi

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Features

  • 8 x 18-bit differential inputs 
  • Control via the Raspberry Pi I2C port
  • Stack up to 4 ADC Differential Pi boards on a single Raspberry Pi
  • Jumper selectable I2C addresses
  • Buffered 5V I2C port
  • Based on the MCP3424 from Microchip Technologies Inc
  • Input voltage range of ±2.048V
  • On-board 2.048V reference voltage (Accuracy  ± 0.05%, Drift: 15 ppm/°C)
  • On-board Programmable Gain Amplifier (PGA): Gains of 1, 2, 4 or 8
  • Programmable Data Rate Options:
       - 3.75 SPS (18 bits)
       - 15 SPS (16 bits)
       - 60 SPS (14 bits)
       - 240 SPS (12 bits)
  • One-Shot or Continuous Conversion Options

The ADC Differential Pi is an 8-channel, 18-bit analogue to digital converter designed to work with the Raspberry Pi and other compatible single-board computers. The ADC Differential Pi is based on two Microchip MCP3424 A/D converters, each containing 4 analogue inputs. The MCP3424 is a delta-sigma A/D converter with low noise differential inputs.

Not sure which ADC you need? Check our Analogue to Digital Buyers guide to compare our ADC development boards.

We designed the ADC Differential Pi as a companion for our ADC Pi. Unlike the ADC Pi, the ADC Differential Pi does not include any voltage dividers, so the inputs can measure a differential voltage range of ±2.048V. This is useful for measuring inputs below ±2.048V or using a voltage divider to measure higher voltages.

The ADC Differential Pi is powered through the host Raspberry Pi using the GPIO port. Extended pins on the GPIO connector allow you to stack the ADC Differential Pi and other development boards.

The two MCP3424 A/D converters communicate via i2c to the host Raspberry Pi, giving you eight analogue inputs. A logic level converter is included on the ADC Pi Plus board, giving you a buffered 5V I2C port, making it easy to add other I2C devices which operate at 5 volts without damaging the Raspberry Pi 3.3 volt I2C port. The i2c buffer uses N-channel MOSFETs with a maximum drain current of 100mA.

The I2C address bits are selectable using the onboard jumpers. The MCP3424 supports up to 8 different I2C addresses, so with two A/D converters on each ADC Differential Pi, you can stack up to 4 ADC Differential Pi boards on a single Raspberry Pi, giving you 32 ADC inputs.

The MCP3424 contains an onboard 2.048V reference voltage with an input range of ±2.048V differentially (full-scale range of 4.096V/PGA). A programmable Gain Amplifier gives the user a selectable gain of x1, x2, x4 or x8 before the analogue to digital conversion occurs.

The data rate for analogue to digital conversions is 3.75 (18-bit), 15 (16-bit), 60 (14-bit) or 240 (12-bit) samples per second. Data rate and resolution can be configured within the software using the I2C interface.

Our knowledge base article, ADC Sample Rate Comparison, has more detailed sample information and test scripts to compare the different MCP2424 ADC chip bit and sample rates.

Unused inputs should be tied to ground.

Legacy Delta Sigma Pi Versions

See our Knowledge Base article for previous versions of this board.

Technical Details

Input Ratings & Specifications

Spec
Ratings
Vdd (5V pin on I2C bus)
5.0V
ADC Input Voltage
-2.048V to + 2.048V
Maximum ADC Input voltage
VSS–0.4V to VDD+0.4 V
Current at Input Pins
±2 mA
I2C SDA/SCL voltage
5.0 V
I2C port current
100 mA

3D CAD Model

Click to downloadADC Differential Pi - 3D CAD File (STEP Format)

Board Layout

Pin Layout for the ADC Differential Pi

Schematic

Click to View
View the schematic PDF.

Mechanical Drawings

Click the image to enlarge.

Compatibility

We have tested the ADC Differential Pi on the following platforms.

Model Status
Raspberry Pi Pico series
Raspberry Pi Model A / B
Raspberry Pi 1 Model A+ / B+
Raspberry Pi 2 Model B
Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ / B / B+
Raspberry Pi 4 Model B
Raspberry Pi 5
Raspberry Pi Zero
Raspberry Pi Zero W / Zero 2 W
Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 IO Board
Raspberry Pi 400
Orange Pi
Asus Tinker Board
Odroid

Assembly Instructions

The ADC Differential Pi is supplied with the 40-pin GPIO connector, and the 12-pin address connector is unsoldered. Before using the ADC Differential Pi, you need to solder both connectors onto the PCB.  

We suggest soldering the 40-pin GPIO connector first and then the address-select connector. Soldering the address select connector first will make it difficult to access the three corner pins on the GPIO connector. Assembly for the ADC Differential Pi is the same as on our ADC Pi Plus.

Assembly Guide Video

Watch our assembly guide on YouTube. (opens in a new window)

PCB Header Assembly Jig

Download and print our PCB Header Assembly Jig to hold your circuit board when soldering the header pins.

PCB assembly jig

I2C Address Selection

The MCP3424 analogue to digital converter contains two address select pins, which can be tied to Vss, Vdd or left floating. This gives 8 possible I2C addresses for each chip. The ADC Differential Pi contains two MCP3424 chips so that you can stack up to 4 ADC Differential Pi boards on a single Raspberry Pi. To simplify address selection on the ADC Differential Pi, we have included a set of address selection pins which can be configured using the included jumpers. The illustrations below show the four recommended configurations for your ADC Differential Pi and the associated I2C addresses.

Note:
Disconnect the ADC Differential Pi from the Raspberry Pi before changing the address pins. You may need to short the 5V and ground with a resistor to discharge the capacitors for the new addresses to be recognised.

Address selection pins

Warning

Do not under any circumstances connect the two centre pins. This will create a direct short between the 5V and ground pins and damage or destroy your Raspberry Pi and ADC Pi Plus board.

Warning do not connect like this

I2C Address Table

Adr 0 Adr 1 I2C Address
Low or Float Low or Float 0x68
Low Float 0x69
Low High 0x6A
Float Low 0x6B
High Low 0x6C
High Float 0x6D
High High 0x6E
Float High 0x6F

Recommended Address Configurations

Configuration 1:

Analogue Channels 1-4 = I2C Address: 0x68
Analogue Channels 5-8 = I2C Address: 0x69

Address Configuration 1

Configuration 2:

Analogue Channels 1-4 = I2C Address: 0x6A
Analogue Channels 5-8 = I2C Address: 0x6B

Address Configuration 2

Configuration 3:

Analogue Channels 1-4 = I2C Address: 0x6C
Analogue Channels 5-8 = I2C Address: 0x6D

Address Configuration 3

Configuration 4:

Analogue Channels 1-4 = I2C Address: 0x6E
Analogue Channels 5-8 = I2C Address: 0x6F

Address Configuration 4

Datasheets

Code Libraries and Tutorials

This expansion board has Python, MicroPython, C, C++, Node.JS, .Net Core, Arduino and Home Assistant libraries available to get you started with your next project.  All of our software libraries are open source and can be download from our GitHub repository or by clicking on the logos below for your selected programming language.

ADC Differential Pi Articles & Tutorials

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Important Information

This development board/kit is intended for use for ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT, DEMONSTRATION, OR EVALUATION PURPOSES ONLY and is not considered by abelectronics.co.uk to be a finished end-product fit for general consumer use. As such, the goods being provided are not intended to be complete in terms of required design-, marketing-, and/or manufacturing-related protective considerations, including product safety and environmental measures typically found in end products that incorporate such semiconductor components or circuit boards. Persons handling the product(s) must have electronics training and observe good engineering practice standards. This development board/kit does not fall within the scope of the European Union directives regarding electromagnetic compatibility, restricted substances (RoHS), recycling (WEEE), FCC, CE or UL, and therefore may not meet the technical requirements of these directives or other related directives. Note: documents in Portable Document Format (PDF) require Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or higher to view, download Adobe Acrobat Reader or other PDF reading software for your computer or mobile device.

Shipping and Delivery

For orders under £35 and tracked orders, the following delivery charges apply.

Shipping Rates

United Kingdom

Service Cost  Estimated Delivery Time 
Royal Mail 1st Class £2.49 1 - 3 days (Mon - Sat)
Royal Mail Special Delivery (Tracked) £8.49 Next day (Mon - Sat)

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Deliveries to: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. 

Service Cost  Estimated Delivery Time 
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Royal Mail International Tracked and Signed £12.99 3-5 Working Days **

Rest of the World

Service Cost  Estimated Delivery Time 
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Royal Mail International Tracked and Signed £18.99 5-7 Working Days **

* Free delivery uses the Royal Mail 1st Class service for UK orders and Royal Mail Airmail Service for international orders.

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We aim to dispatch your order within 1 working day.  

Working days are normal weekdays; dispatch times do not include Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays. Delivery transit times do not include national holidays and Sundays but may include Saturdays, depending on the delivery service provider in the destination country.

You can view details of international shipping issues and delays with the Royal Mail airmail service at Royal Mail International Incident Bulletin.

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What is the Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS)?

The Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) is a system introduced by the European Union to simplify VAT collection for goods valued at €150 or less that are shipped to customers in the EU from outside the EU. By using IOSS, sellers collect VAT at the point of sale, ensuring that buyers do not have to pay additional import taxes or customs fees upon delivery.

How does IOSS benefit me as a customer?

IOSS makes your shopping experience easier and more transparent by:

Including VAT in the purchase price you see at checkout.

Eliminating unexpected customs charges or fees upon delivery.

Reducing potential delivery delays caused by customs clearance.

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No. If your order is covered by IOSS, all applicable VAT and import charges are already included in the price you pay at checkout. There will be no additional charges when your order is delivered.

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We can offer alternative shipping using Royal Mail, tracked and signed for service. You can select this option at checkout. Please note full end-to-end tracking depends on the tracking service from the regional postal service in the destination country.

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Returns

Our 180-day returns guarantee means that if for any reason you are unhappy with your purchase, you may return it to us in its original condition within 180 days of the date you received the item, unopened (with any seals and shrink-wrap intact), and we will issue a full refund for the price you paid for the item. We can only accept the return of opened items if they are faulty.

All Raspberry Pi add-on boards are checked on a Raspberry Pi during production, and all inputs are checked to ensure the inputs and outputs are within the specified ratings.

We cannot accept returns for faults caused by over-voltage being applied to inputs on the boards by the purchaser.

When returning an item to us, please clearly state why you are returning your parcel and whether you require a refund or exchange. Please note that the parcel is your responsibility until it reaches us, so we recommend you send it via registered or recorded post. 

The time it takes for a refund to reach the customer depends on the banks involved. It would normally take 3 - 5 working days to complete it.

Sales Tax

United Kingdom VAT at 20% is added to all orders for UK destinations. VAT is not added to NON-UK and EU destinations where the order total is more than 150 euros.

We are not responsible for any import taxes or VAT on the orders in the destination country. Import duty/tax is always paid by the person/company receiving the parcel/order.

Removed Delivery Destinations

We regret that we had to remove the following countries from our delivery destinations due to a very high failure rate of our parcels being delivered using the Royal Mail airmail service. This resulted in us refunding all of the missing orders, and we cannot continue to make such large losses by sending parcels to destinations where a large percentage of the items are lost in the postal systems.

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